1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to wine equipment. In particular, it relates to an intelligent cork screw which has an integral temperature sensing device which is used in combination with audio or video output devices to tell the user what the current temperature of the wine is, and what wines are appropriate for that particular temperature. The intelligent cork screw has several optional output methods which include audio notification and/or visual notification.
2. Background Art
There is a large segment of the population who enjoy wine on a regular basis with meals, and at social occasions. To best enjoy a particular type of wine should be served within a temperature range suitable for that wine. For example, sparkling lines such as champagne are typically served cold, white wines are typically served slightly warmer sparkling wines, red wines are served warmer than white wines, and special wines such as sherry or port are served warmer than red wines.
A disadvantage associated with the enjoyment of wine is that the consumer may not know the proper temperature for the particular wine the consumer plans to drink that evening. Wine producers have attempted to assist consumers by printing the best temperature on wine labels. This simple step makes available to the consumer the correct temperature for consumption, but the consumer must still determine what the actual temperature of the wine is.
One attempt to improve upon the mere listing of the correct temperature has been to adhere a thermal strip thermometer to the side of the wine bottle. This allows a direct readout of the temperature of the wine. While this approach is convenient when preparing to drink the wine, it also has several disadvantages. One such disadvantage is the cost associated with attaching the thermal strip thermometer to the side of the wine bottle which is then discarded with the bottle. An additional disadvantage to this approach is that either the manufacturer, the merchant, or the consumer must bear the time, effort and expense involved with purchasing, stocking, and applying the thermal strip thermometers. It would be desirable to have a convenient and reusable method of determining the temperature of the wine prior to consumption.
It would also be desirable to provide a convenient and entertaining method of informing the consumer that the wine is at the correct temperature. By having a temperature indication system which was entertaining, consumers would be more likely to use it. In addition, the user would receive greater enjoyment from the wine by receiving training in what the proper temperature of that particular wine should be.
While addressing the basic desirability of drinking wine at the proper temperature, the prior art has failed to provide a convenient reusable device which is inexpensive to manufacture, provides a variety of information to the consumer, encourages its use, and provides entertainment to the consumer when it is used.
The present invention solves the foregoing problems by providing an intelligent cork screw device which determines the temperature of the bottle. The intelligent cork screw then provides information to the consumer related to the wine. In a preferred embodiment, the cork screw provides a temperature readout. Alternative embodiments include temperature gauges which are marked to indicate the wines which are appropriate for that temperature. Other alternative embodiment""s provide entertainment features such as voice or other audio indications related to the temperature. Still other embodiments include visual indication such as lamps which indicate what type of wine would be proper for the temperature of the bottle being measured. The cork screw can use thermal measurement of the exterior of the wine bottle, or alternatively, the actual screw which penetrates the wine cork can be used as a temperature probe.